Algebraic geometric codes over rings

The techniques of algebraic geometry have been widely and successfully applied to the study of linear codes over finite fields since the early 1980’s. Recently, there has been an increased interest in the study of linear codes over finite rings. In this paper, we combine these two approaches to coding theory by introducing the study of algebraic geometric codes over rings. In addition to defining these new codes, we prove several results about their properties

University of Maine, Speech Therapy Telepractice and Technology Program Manual

Many children and adults with communication disorders, who live in Maine, do not receive speech therapy. Rural geography, a shortage of qualified speech-language pathologists, inadequate/costly transportation and inclement weather create significant challenges in reaching people in need of services. In response to this problem, an innovative graduate level telepractice training program in speech-language pathology has been developed at the University of Maine, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). The training program has three learning components: (1) Intensive Training, (2) Clinical Practicum, (3) Discussion Groups. These complementary activities are guided by ASHA (2005; 2013) requirements of knowledge and skills of speech-language pathologists in providing speech therapy telepractice clinical services and FERPA (1974), HIPAA (1996) and HITECH (1996) regulations. The University of Maine, Speech Therapy Telepractice and Technology Program manual provides the specific procedures used for training speech therapy telepractice to graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders. The manual contains a detailed outline and description of the program design, operational procedures, technology, equipment and forms used for training clinical competencies in speech therapy telepractice. Additionally, procedures and accompanying forms have been developed for outcomes measures including: Telepractice Practicum Evaluation form, eHelper Competencies, Supervisor Evaluation and Consumer Satisfaction.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/fac_monographs/1224/thumbnail.jp

Constructing Critical Indecomposable Codes

Critical indecomposable codes were introduced by Assmus, who also gave a recursive construction for these objects. One of the key ingredients in the construction is an auxiliary code, which is an indecomposable code of minimum distance at least 3. In terms of actually being able to construct all critical indecomposable codes, however, Assmus leaves many unanswered questions about these auxiliary codes. In this paper, we provide answers to these questions, including a description of when two equivalent auxiliary codes can yield inequivalent critical indecomposable codes, and results on both the minimum length and the maximum number of critical columns of an auxiliary code. We end with an enumeration of all critical indecomposable codes of dimension at most 10

Codes and Curves

When information is transmitted, errors are likely to occur. Coding theory examines effi cient ways of packaging data so that these errors can be detected, or even corrected. The traditional tools of coding theory have come from combinatorics and group theory. Lately, however, coding theorists have added techniques from algebraic geometry to their toolboxes. In particular, by re-interpreting the Reed- Solomon codes, one can see how to defi ne new codes based on divisors on algebraic curves. For instance, using modular curves over fi nite fi elds, Tsfasman, Vladut, and Zink showed that one can defi ne a sequence of codes with asymptotically better parameters than any previously known codes. This monograph is based on a series of lectures the author gave as part of the IAS/PCMI program on arithmetic algebraic geometry. Here, the reader is introduced to the exciting fi eld of algebraic geometric coding theory. Presenting the material in the same conversational tone of the lectures, the author covers linear codes, including cyclic codes, and both bounds and asymptotic bounds on the parameters of codes. Algebraic geometry is introduced, with particular attention given to projective curves, rational functions and divisors. The construction of algebraic geometric codes is given, and the Tsfasman-Vladut-Zink result mentioned above is discussed

The influence of auditory feedback on speed choice, violations and comfort in a driving simulation game

Two experiments are reported which explore the relationships between auditory feedback (engine noise), speed choice, driving violations and driver comfort. Participants played a driving simulation game with different levels of auditory feedback in the form of engine noise. In Experiment 1, a between-subjects design revealed that no noise and low levels of engine noise (65 dB(A)) resulted in participants driving at faster speeds than in the medium (75 dB(A)) and high (85 dB(A)) levels of engine noise conditions. The low noise feedback conditions were also associated with decreases in driver comfort. Experiment 2 also demonstrated that low levels of engine noise feedback (no feedback and 70 dB(A)) were associated with increases in driving speed, and driving violations relative to higher levels of feedback (75 dB(A) and 80 dB(A)). Implications exist for current car manufacturing trends which emphasise a growing increase in noise insulation for the driver. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Faculty Recital: Lester Walker, trumpet

Kennesaw State University School of Music Artist-in-Residence in Jazz Trumpet, Lester Walker, along with guest pianist, Judy Boehm in concert.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1012/thumbnail.jp

The Pessimistic Themes of The Mysterious Stranger as Reflected in Mark Twain\u27s Previous Novels

The purpose of the thesis is to demonstrate that the pessimism exhibited in the themes of The Mysterious Stranger is evident in the themes of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1874-1876), The Prince and the Pauper (1877-1882), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1876-1885), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur\u27s Court (1888-1889), and Pudd\u27nhead Wilson (1891-1894). The thesis also demonstrates that the pessimism becomes more dominate as the novels progress chronologically through the repetition of the themes and the increasing number of themes being treated. The introduction briefly discusses the arguments over the origins of Twain\u27s pessimism as set forth by Van Wyck Brooks, who credits Twain\u27s pessimism to Twain\u27s mother, wife, and Elmira, Edward Wagenknecht, who credits Twain\u27s pessimism to Twain\u27s personal experiences, and E. Hudson Long, who credits Twain\u27s pessimism to Twain\u27s personal experiences and observation of man\u27s history. The body of the thesis begins by citing The Innocents Abroad and Roughing It to exhibit the seeds of Twain\u27s pessimism in his earliest works in which he criticizes the corruption of the church, man\u27s treatment of minorities, and man\u27s prejudices. Twain\u27s pessimistic themes treated in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer are man\u27s manipulation of man and man\u27s self-deception. Twain\u27s pessimistic themes treated in The Prince and the Pauper are the effects of the multi-class system and the inequality of classes, criticism of monarchical government, man\u27s inhumanity to man, and the benefits of death over life on earth. Twain\u27s pessimistic themes treated in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are man\u27s inhumanity to man through meaningless feuding, cowardly mob violence and mob behavior, man\u27s disregard for human life, and effects of slavery. Twain\u27s pessimistic themes treated in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur\u27s Court are the corruptive effects of monarchical government and the aristocracy, the effects of the multi-class system and slavery, man\u27s disregard for human life, the corruptive effects of religion and the Established Church, cowardly mob behavior, and the power of laughter to destroy. Twain\u27s pessimistic themes treated in Pudd\u27nhead Wilson are the effects of slavery, determinism, the bad-seed theory, man\u27s inferiority to other animals, the evil of money, and the benefits of death over life on earth. All of the above themes are treated in The Mysterious Stranger in which Twain condemns man\u27s oppressive institutions, man\u27s behavior, man\u27s image of himself, man\u27s belief in life and after-life, and man\u27s fate in life. The comparisons of the previous novels to The Mysterious Stranger are made throughout the body of the thesis as the novels are treated in chronological order

Characterizations of Pseudo-Codewords of LDPC Codes

An important property of high-performance, low complexity codes is the existence of highly efficient algorithms for their decoding. Many of the most efficient, recent graph-based algorithms, e.g. message passing algorithms and decoding based on linear programming, crucially depend on the efficient representation of a code in a graphical model. In order to understand the performance of these algorithms, we argue for the characterization of codes in terms of a so called fundamental cone in Euclidean space which is a function of a given parity check matrix of a code, rather than of the code itself. We give a number of properties of this fundamental cone derived from its connection to unramified covers of the graphical models on which the decoding algorithms operate. For the class of cycle codes, these developments naturally lead to a characterization of the fundamental polytope as the Newton polytope of the Hashimoto edge zeta function of the underlying graph.Comment: Submitted, August 200

Connections Between Computation Trees and Graph Covers

Connections between graph cover pseudocodewords and computation tree pseudocodewords are investigated with the aim of bridging the gap between the theoretically attractive analysis of graph covers and the more intractable analysis of iterative message-passing algorithms that are intuitively linked to graph covers. Both theoretical results and numerous examples are presented

Librarian as Advisor: Information Search Process of Undecided Students and Novice Researchers

Faculty librarians who advise undecided students have found the experiences of novice researcher and advisee comparable: Both groups seek to solve a problem or answer a question by finding new information to add to their current understanding and knowledge base. As a result, librarians familiar with needs and stages of the research process may flourish as advisors to undecided students. In this article, we draw parallels between the needs of novice researchers and those of undecided students, and we advocate the use of an information-search model for all advisors working with undecided students